The Courts and Great Chalfield Manor: a Walk to Two NT Gardens

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The Courts - Holt - Pack-horse Bridge - Great Chalfield Manor - The Courts

There are two delightful gardens to visit on this walk, plus a manor-house (open at somewhat restricted times). The walk takes you along the banks of the Avon for a stretch, over an old pack-horse bridge and across the usual mix of fields and stiles.

Note: there is a shortish stretch (about a quarter of a mile) on road. You also go around the back of a factory.

England - South England - Wiltshire - Countryside

Features

National Trust
9/29/2023 - Harry Cook

This is not a walk to set the heart racing but a good, honest walk through fields, by streams and with a bit of industry thrown in. We undertook this walk on 27 Sep 2023 which prompted the following comments: The section on the road at Staverton is not an issue as there is light traffic and the verges are wide. The completed walk was recorded as 6.5miles. Some stiles were in poor repair but passable especially at the pack horse bridge and the metal bridge before it. The section between Staverton and Whaddon farm is displaced from the river and is somewhat dull but easily walked. When we walked this route the fields to the North of the pack Horse Bridge were growing maize and while it was very tall the paths through the maize were clear and easily followed. The Café at Great Chalfield Manor was serving only tea and biscuits (this may differ at other times of the year). It is worth checking the opening times of the two gardens as they change with the season. In summary; a good circular walk with ample parking at the start and a variety of scenery.

6/27/2022 - Charlie Bolton

I have to say I found this comment really upsetting. Indeed, it made me give up on the site for a couple of years. It simply is not true to say the first two miles are on road. You walk through a village at the start for a couple of hundred yards or so at the start. But part of it is pedestrian only. Then you go over fields to go on an on-road bit, but it is nearer a quarter of a mile, and the last part is on road. To me, this walk gets better and better the further you go on it. Anyway, decide for yourselves.

1/6/2019 - David Squire

If you are expecting a nice walk in the country then you will be disappointed. The first 2 miles are spent walking on a busy country road with no footpath and then around a large factory. Thereafter much time is spent walking across very uninteresting fields often close to a railway. Not recommended.

7/3/2017 - Charlie Bolton

I re-walked this following the comment from Mr Robinson,without encountering the problems he describes. Yes, there is a solar farm, but the turn is before it. The overgrown route by the chapel had been cut back when we did it. Fields being ploughed - well,that's what farmers do, I'm afraid. I have amended the walk to try and make the instructions clearer, and am sorry he didn't have a good experience. (I think its a great walk!)

5/8/2017 - Graham Robinson

We got lost three times on this walk and luckily met locals to guide us. There is now no bridge or exit at Waypoint 9 and there is now a massive solar farm in the next field so you have to back track to cross the ditch half way up the field and make your way across a very large field to Whaddon Farm. At Waypoint 11 the path by the church is totally overgrown, now take the path AFTER the church on the left and down the hill. At Waypoint 11 this is a massive field now and a very long walk round the boundary, ploughed this time, so we had to take the main road all the way into Holt....not pleasant. I would not recommend this walk.

9/20/2015 - Peter Holland

The indicated length of this walk is mis-leading. Our GPS measured over 6.5 miles, and as we were using public transport we missed the bus. I recommend that you allow an extra hour for this walk. Notwithstanding that; we enjoyed it and will do it again.

6/26/2014 - Steve Ramsden

The chimney referred to in the early part of the walk has gone - the factory can be used as a suitable landmark instead. The 2 fields before the railway line crossing have been planted with crops - you will need to pick your way carefully through them, especially the first one, where no trace of a path remains. I can't comment on the route beyond the railway crossing as the sky fell in so we took a short cut home.